Tag: Contemporary

Science and mystery for the win!

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A Generation of Vipers

by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

To paraphrase Indiana Jones, “Why did it have to be snakes?” Nell is working overtime to complete an ecological survey on time and within budget when she stumbles over a dead body. The corpse calls to mind several cold cases that are a high priority for her ex James’ team to solve. There’s no lack of potential suspects as the new employees at Neil’s firm are all behaving suspiciously. The last thing Nell wants to do is track down a murderer–the only advantage to the job was its proximity to Rav’s hospital–but she must join forces with James to winnow the pool down before the killer strikes again! Another engaging read in this series from, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, filled with realistic details about the work of ecologists.

Thanks to Embla Books for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

Faye Longchamp in Wrecked

I love the Faye Longchamp series about a smart, strong woman who’s trying to run her own business, raise her family, and protect her family home…and who just seems to end up with murders in her vicinity! In the latest, a close friend dies in a suspicious diving accident, Faye and Joe help their neighbors recover from a hurricane, and Faye navigates the tricky landscaping of raising a smart, strong daughter. Great story!

Wrecked is by Mary Anna Evans and published by Poison Pen Press.

I read a digital arc via Edelweiss+

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard: A Cajun Country Mystery by Ellen Byron

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It seemed like a good idea at the time to Maggie Crozat, but she quickly comes to regret suggesting the Spooky Past vacation packages and employing her long-lost cousin at the B&B’s spa. Not only does the Cajun equivalent of a werewolf start appearing to scare guests, her cousin turns up dead and Maggie’s the main suspect.

With all the Southern hospitality you’d expect from Ellen Byron, Murder in the Bayou Boneyard is a nice addition to the Cajun Country Mystery series.

I received access to a digital ARC from Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley.



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What You Don’t See by Tracy Clark



My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Cass Raines is back in a case that quickly becomes personal. She joins her former partner, Ben Mickerson, as a bodyguard for a female media mogul who’s receiving death threats, only to be dragged into an investigation when Ben gets attacked. Complicating matters are the reappearance of her estranged father who’s moving back to Chicago with his new family, and her new relationship with Eli. Cass is a smart tough PI who will go to great lengths to protect her family. Great storytelling and characters.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for access to a digital ARC.



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The Secrets of Bones

The Secrets of Bones by Kylie Logan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Secrets of Bones is book two in the Jazz Ramsey series. Though Jazz moonlights as a cadaver (or HRD) dog trainer and a dog is featured prominently on the cover, this book isn’t really about the dog (unlike the K-9 mysteries by Paula Munier, Margaret Mizushima, and Susan Furlong). Jazz and Wally, her HRD dog in training, are last minute substitutes on career day at the Catholic girls school where Jazz works, and of course they uncover some remains! Jazz is a change of pace as a protagonist, neither embittered nor on a mission, and I enjoyed reading about her exploits. I was able to figure out the key to mystery a few chapters from the end, so there aren’t any big surprises in store, but it is an enjoyable read. Though it was the second in a series, I had no difficulty getting into the story. I plan to pick up the first book, and don’t think there will be any letdown in reading the books out of order.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley.



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The Crossing by Matt Brolly



My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is a straight-forward police procedural set in the coastal town of Weston-Super-Mare. DI Louise Blackwell has been transferred following the shooting of an unarmed man during a police raid. After a dead woman is found on the beach, Louise gets her first chance to take charge of an investigation in her new posting. Still trying to figure out her team and her boss, her life is complicated by anonymous text messages that she believes are coming from her former partner who seems to want her thoroughly discredited.

It took me a while to get into this book, and I originally put it down about a third of the way through. After a break, I picked it back up and got hooked by the story. In short, I enjoyed the last two-thirds of the book more than the beginning. I’m willing to give DI Blackwell another go when she reappears in book 2.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for access to a digital ARC.



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The K Team

The K Team by David Rosenfelt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I admit that I was drawn to this book because of the cover and my recent infatuation with K-9 mysteries (Paula Munier’s Mercy Carr, Margaret Mizushima’s Timber Creek series, Susan Furlong’s Bone Gap Travelers series). While Simon Garfunkel, the shepherd on the cover, is a key part of the K Team, this book isn’t really about the dog. This book is a spin-off of Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series and focuses on a small group of private investigators that includes Andy’s wife Laurie, a retired cop, and Corey Douglas and his dog Simon, also retired cops.

Corey is the main narrator of the book (which occasionally switches over to a third person narrator when it’s necessary to give the reader additional information) that begins when the K Team is hired to figure out who’s blackmailing a judge. A far-ranging conspiracy is investigated and the story provides enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Good read with engaging characters.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley.

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A Body in the Bookshop

A Body in the Bookshop by Helen Cox

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is the second book in the Kitt Hartley series, but it works as a stand-alone (I haven’t read the first book, but I had little difficulty in picking up the threads of the characters). I found Kitt’s friend, Evie, to be the more compelling character which is good as the book is centered on her. Evie has been left physically scarred after the events in the prior story, and spends time re-considering who she actually is. She is outraged to hear that DS Charlotte Banks has been suspended on charges of police brutality and she makes it her mission to set things right. Some interesting twists and turns and an enjoyable read. I hope that Evie continues to grow and perhaps she can take center stage in future books as well.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley.



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Brooklyn Legacies

Brooklyn Legacies by Triss Stein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I had heard about Triss Stein’s Brooklyn series featuring historian Erica Donato and was pleased to have the opportunity to read the latest courtesy of Edelweiss+. I was not disappointed. Brooklyn is as much a character in the story as is Erica and her family and co-workers, and you can easily feel the gritty resurgence of the borough. This was a well-written and thoughtful excursion that blended history and mystery. Highly recommended for fans of Mary Anna Evans’ Faye Longchamp and Sheila Connoly’s Museum Mysteries.

I received a digital ARC via Edelweiss+.



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